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(Model) I l 4Sheets-Sheet 1. E. B. STOCKING.

Paper Bag Machine. No. 241,830. Patented May 24,1881.

( Model.) 4 SheetsSh eet 2. E. B. STOCKING. Paper Bag Machine.

No. 241,830. Patented May-24,188l.

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B. B. STOCKING. Paper Bag Machine. No. 241,830. n Paiented May 24,1881.

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ll )1 II 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

EDGAR B. STOCKING, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PAPER-BAG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,830, dated May 24, 1881.

Application filed December 30, 1880.

To all whom 1t may concern Be it known that I, EDGAR B. STOCKING, a resident of the city of WVa'shington, District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Paper-Bag Machines Designed for the Manufacture of Seamless-Bottomed Square Bags, of which invention the following full, clear, and exact description, with the accompanyin g drawings, forming a part thereof, will enable those skilled in the art to construct. and use the same.

Figure -1 of the drawings is a perspective of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 a central vertical section,of the same; Fig. 4, a like section of a modification of the folding-blades, and Fig. 5 a plan of the same with the deflecting-plate removed. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the severing device,

and Fig. 7 an end elevation of a modification of r the same. Fig. 8 is a plan ofa single partlyfolded bag-blank; Fig. 9, a plan of the bag as delivered from the machine, and Fig. 10 a perspective of the same distended.

My invention relates to that class of machines in which a web of paper is folded longitudinally so that its edges nearly meet at its longitudinal center,thus forming an incomplete tube, to which paste is applied in lines parallel with and near to said edges, and extending one-half, and in some cases the whole, length of the blanks into which the tube is out, each of which is then folded transversely in the center of its length, the one half being pressed against the other and secured by and along said paste-lines, thus completing the bag. In this class of machines it has also been attempted to not only fold each bag transversely, as described, but, in addition, to form at its midlength inwardly-pointin g V-folds at each side, the object being to produce a bag wh'ieh does not require the user to cause the bottom-forming portion thereof to assume a square form when distended, but which will itself assume such form when substances are placed within it.

To accomplish the formation of the V-folds and the transverse fold there have been employed verticallyreciprocating folding and creasing devices, in conjunction with fixed V- fold formers and pressing-rolls, the reciprocatin g creasin g and folding devices being operated independently or jointly. In the former case (Model.)

a creasing-head forces the material into a box of suitable shape to produce creases upon the said fold-lines, when a narrow central blade is vertically reeiprocated to force the blank into the pressing-rolls, while in the latter case a creasing-head, having four inclined wings, formed in horizontal section and two rigidlyattached downwardlyprojectin g pins, is reciproca-ted against the material, its mid-length lying over fixed V-fold formers, and forces it into the bite of pressing-rolls, which grasp the bottom of the blank between the above-mentioned pins and press it, at its middle only, throughout its length. In the former case the creases only are formed first, then the central blade forces the material against the V-fold formers, then into the bite of the rolls, and in the latter case the central pins force the material against the V-fold formers, making the V- folds first, the inclined wings receiving said folds to keep them in position as formed; then the pins force the material into the bite of the rolls.

The objections to the method embodied in these mechanisms of producing the transverse and the V-folds are that the force required to form them and to deliver them into the bite of the pressing-rolls is applied at, restricted to, and expended upon the lesser portion of the fold-lines-that is, upon only the middle third of the width of the blank; and, further, this is the weakest portion, as the blankis of but one ply in thickness at this portion, and hence the great liability to tear eaehblank at said middle third and the impraeticability of rapid production in this class of machines.

The method of forming the transverse and the V-folds, which I have invented obviates these objections; and it consists in applying the force equally upon the middle and outer thirds of the blank where the fold-lines of the bottom are formed.

My invention also consists in improved devices and combinations of devices for practicing this method, and for forming and severing the tube and in other particulars, as will be hereinafter specifically claimed.

The necessary tension of the paper is secured at the web-shaft 1 by means of two bent arms, 2, (the bend serving as an upper half-box or hearing to the shaft 1,) secured pivotally at their inner ends to the frame of the machine, and at their outer ends rigidly to a connecting-bar, 4.

In the bed of the machine is a bolt and hook, 5, with which the bar 4 may be depressed to produce equal friction of the arms upon the shaft and a uniform tension of the paper. A spring or weight may be substituted for the bolt and hook 5, and the shaft 1 and its tension devices may be arranged upon a frame-work independent of that of the machine, and these tension devices may be applied to a roll running above and in contact with the guide-roll 6.

The creasers 7 (see Fig. 2) consist each of a disk having an outwardly-projecting rim, 8,

making it cup-shaped, and an inwardly projeeting hub, 9, provided with a set-screw, 10, rendering it adjustable upon the shaft 11, which shaft is supported in suitable hearings in the sides of the machine. Below the shaft 11 are posts 12 (see dotted lines, Fig. 3) fixed adjustably, in lateral and longitudinal directions, to the bed 13 of the machine. Upon these posts are supported yielding creasers 14, rounded at their bases and located so as to extend within the rim 8 of the creasers 7, and to more or less abruptly force the upturned edges of the paper within the rim, as clearly shown at the sectioned creaser, Fig. 2, and thus produce a more decided creasing of the paper at this point, so that after it passes in front of said creasers it will have a greater tendency to fold upon the line so creased. They also yield to any variation in the tension of the upturned edges of the paper within the rim, and thus avoid tearing it. If through varying thickness or uneven texture of the paper its tension at this point is suddenly increased, the yielding creasers rise on their posts, lessening the tension by lessening the abruptness with which the paper is forced within the rim, and the consequent sharpness of the curving of the paper therein, and when the tension resumes its normal condition they fall to their original places, and restore the normal curvature of the paper within the rim, and being rotary they constitute, with creasers 7, creasing and tubing mechanism of a rotary nature, wherein the working pointthat is, the frictional surface of such devices upon the materialis reduced to the minimum, and rapidity and accuracy of product are secured.

It is evident that a nonrotating crcaser may be used with or without yielding pressure to force the upturned edges of the web into the cup or rim of creaser 7, and that the cup or rimmed side of said creasers 7 may face inwardly and the yielding creasers, fixed or rotary, may be suspended between them, and in this position operate as well to force the paper within the rims to crease it for folding outwardly. This arrangement of the creasers may be employed to produce bellows-sided complete tubes, and when it is desired to fold the extreme edge of the web outwardly after an opposite fold thereof has been made, as is common to produce flat side seams instead of inwardly-projecting side seams. The web now passes under the adjustable turning-plate 15, which serves to flatten its creased and upturned edges, thus forming an incomplete tube.

The turning-plate 15 consists of a rectangular piece of metal slitted at its center longitudinally and turned up so as to form a V- opening with sides of suitable curvature to gradually flatten the paper. This V terminates at its apex in an eye, 16, also having a curved or upset edge. Eye 16 avoids a sharp termination of the V-opening of plate 15, and admitsot'itsbeing madeintegral, so that it presses the entire width of the tube in advance of said eye, and is adjustable by one operation instead of two, as when made in more than one piece. This plate is adjustably secured to the bed 13, in any suitable manner, at such height as will allow a free passage of the tube. Instead of the turning-plate 15, I may use a simple roll or plate located at 17, (see dotted lines, Fig. 2,) or I may use, instead of either plate 15 or 17, extra pairs of rotary tension creasers 14,10- cated at 18, dotted lines of Fig. 2. (Jrcasers 14 may be supplied with a coiled spring and a set-screw after the manner of spool tensjon devices on sewing-machines.

It will be readily seen that theiollowing devices may be used in the creasing and tubeforming portions of the machine. (Jreasers 7 yielding creasers 14, and turning-plate 15, or erea sers 7, yielding creascrs 14 and 18, or creascrs 7, yielding creasers 14, and roll or plate 17, and, if desirable, though I have found it entirely unnecessary, the well-known inside former may be used in conjunction with the above devices.

If it is desirable to form a closed tube I pass the edge of the upper fly through the diagonal extension 19 of the eye 16 of the turning-plate, which causes that fly to overlap the other, thus forming a closed or complete tube. The paper in tube form now passes between the feed-rolls 20.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated means for applying paste. A pastetrough is supported in any suitable manner above the bed 13, and the usual supplying-roll turns therein. Distributing-rolls 21 (one only of which is shown) run in contact with the supply-roll, and are so connected by links 22 that they may run in contact with the upper feed-roll, 20, thus laying thereon continuously two lines of paste which are by said feed-roll transferred to the tube in lines near the edges, as shown by shaded lines in Figs. 2 and 8, or rolls 21 may be swung down upon the tube in rear of said feed-roll and apply the paste directly to the paper, if desired, intermittently by any well-known means. In this case grooves should be formed in the upper feed-roll to allow the paste-lines to pass untouched.

In advance of the feed-rolls is the front bed, 23, upon which is adjustably fixed the severing device shown in detail at Fig. 6, and consisting of a base-plate, 25, having lugs or slots for adj ustable attachment, and a hinged spring guiding and clearing plate, 26, the most elevated position of its front edge being determined by a stop, 27, and a severing-blade, 24, secured either permanently or removably to the base-plate.

In Fig. 7 Ihaveillustrated the same elements with their relative positions changed, in order to take up less longitudinal space on the bed 23, and in this case stop 27 is adjustable and a roll is substituted for the plate 26; and in Fig. 3 I show a coiled spring and set-screw for adjusting the pressure of said spring upon the clearing-plate. The functions of the plate or roll 26 are to guide the tube over and clear of the knife, to yield downward and back of the knife during the cutting, and to clear or free the advancing end of the tubular web from the knife and again guide it over the knife.

Beneath the bed 23 are the rolls 29, which fold, press, and deliver the bag, and which are of less diameter than the feed-rolls and connected to them by suitable gearing. Rolls 29 may be of the same diameter as the feed-rolls, but geared to a higherspeed. In this instance I have used the following train of gear, viz: 31 on main shaft to 40, inclusive, 35 being a connecting-shaft, and 39 and 40 being on the rolls 29. This train 31 to 40 remains unchanged while the machine is making various sizes of bags; but the remaining train is changeable, as will be hereinafter described, but any suitable permanent or changeable train of gearing may be used. The bed 23 has an opening in it, with ordinary friction-rolls at the front and rear sides thereof, and projecting inwardly from each of its ends are adjustably-fixed V-fold formers 41, each of which consists of a rod lying slightly below the up per surface of the bed and bent downward toward the bite of rolls 29.

Over the bed 23 are located the foldingblades 42, one at the front and operating over the front roll, and one at the rear and opera-ting over the rear roll. Each is secured to a transverse guide-bar, 43, which rides in the guide slots 44 of the uprights 45. Each is also secured pivotally to an oscillating crank-shaft, 46, journaled in bearings on the bed. The outer crank of each shaft is connected, by links 47, to a reciprocating rod, 48, having a tappet, 49, and running in guides 50. The rodis raised by spring 51 and depressed by pin 52 on the gear 53 striking said tappet, gear 53 being driven by gears 54 and 31, the latter on the main shaft of the machine. By using additional and different-sized gear on the main shaft 30, gear 31 remaining unchanged, the movements of the blades 42 may be made more or less frequent with relation to the amount of material fed by rolls 20. I have illustrated one manner of producing a slower relative movement of said blades. On the main shaft is gear 55, and on the stud of gear 54 is gear 56. By reversing gear 56 and inserting its pins 57 into the hub of gear 54, 56 meshes with 55, which, being smaller than 31, and 56 being also larger than 54, causes a slower moveate the blades.

ment of blades 42. In this change gear54 will not mesh with 31, but a distinct train from the main shaft to gear 53 will be established. The stud of gears 54 and 56'is adjustable in the frame of the machine, whereby, as justindicated, gear 54 may be thrown out of mesh with 31 and other changes may be made in the train.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated the preferable construction of the folding-blades. In this modification I employ ordinary oscillating folding-blades, the center of the rock-shaft being placed in such position that the folding-edges of.the blades meet at the bite of rolls 29, and as they rise and fall pass in the path shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. Any well-known means may be employed to oper- A deflecting-plate, 59, is here added to guide the tube over the openingin the bed of the machine, and by suitably bending the front end ofsaid plate it may serve to guide the leading end of the tube directly to the bite of the rolls, as hereinafter described, in relation to a particular position or adjustment of the rear folding-blade. In either construction the blades at their free ends should have the shape of the flattened bag at its bottom-that is,the working end of the blade should have a. narrow central folding-edge disposed at right angles to its sides, and diagonal folding edges joining each side to said central narrow folding edge. As the angles of the V-folds are alike. in all sizes of blanks,a bladeof such outl ne will fold bags of any size, provided the blade is wider than the tube. However, ifpreferable,blades having moreorless flaring diagonal folding edges and moreorless width ofcentral folding edges may beused; but in no case should the central edge belessthan sufficient to span the middle portion of the blank whereit is of but a single plyin thickness, and blades without any diagonal folding edgestha t is, a plain blade-may be used for folding blanks without forming the V-folds; or bags from a plain complete tube, the bottoms of which are formed by transversely folding the tube upon itself at its open end, as shown at Fig. 12, may be made by using a single straight-edged blade. Furthermore, it will be readily seen that by disconnecting the front and rearfolding blades, the latter remaining in the position shown in Fig. 3, when itsfunction will be that of a simple 'guiding or deflecting plate, successive blanks of either plain complete tubes (see Fig. 11) or incomplete tubes, as desired, oflengths varying according to the distance of the adjustable severing device from the bite of the rolls 29, may be produced, to be. afterward folded by hand into satchel or other desired forms of bottoms.

In forming a plain complete tube paste will be applied at the guide-roll to one edge of the web in the usual manner.

It should also be observed that the tubing, severing, and foldin g mechanisms herein shown are independent of each other, and each may be used in conjunction with other mechanisms for performing the work of those discarded. I therefore do notlimit myselt'to these principal elements when used jointly, but deem each one of them of my invention separately.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The web having been creased, formed into a tube, and pasted, as hereinbefore described, has its leading end fed by rolls 20, upon the clearing-plate 26 and over the knife 24, when it strikes the under side of the rear folding-blade and is deflected or guided across the opening in the table into the guides 58, and when a sufi'ieient length has passed beyond rolls 29 to form one-half the desired length of the bag the folding-blades begin their action and the front blade, striking the blank on the lines a b c, Fig. 8, and the rear blade on the lines d be, move toward the bite of the rolls in the path indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 4. The outersides of the blank are detained by the V-fold formers 41, and folds a b d and e b c, Fig. 8, are gradually formed, while the force of the foldingbladcs is evenly exerted on the entire foldingliues, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, and is so continued to be exerted until the line b is delivered to the bite of the rolls 29, which feeding at an increased speed suddenly strains the tube across the clearing-plate 26, depressing it to the rear and below the knife, as shown in Fig. 3, and drawing the tube down upon the knife quickly severs it from the web, when the clearing-plate, released from the strain, resumes its normal position and guides the following tube in its course and clear of the knife, while the severed blank is quickly fed out of its way between the rolls, which press it over its entire width and deliver it from the machine in the condition shown at Fig. 9.

If desirable the clearingplate or roll 26 may, in its elevated position, press the tube against a positivelvdriven feed-roll, placed above said plate or roll to insure the advancement of the tube after each cut is made.

Havingdesciibed my method and the means employed for its practice, what I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The improvement in the art of making seamless square bottomed bags, herein described, which consists in forcing the blank, at about its mid-length, against side V-fold formers and into the bite of folding-rolls by pressure upon theblank applied simultaneously in straight and diagonal lines extending over the entire width of the blank, as set forth.

2. The combination of arotary creascr havan extended rim and means, substantially as shown and described,for forcingthe material within the said rim, as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a rotary crcaser having a rim and means, substantially as shown and described, for forcing the material within said rim with a yielding pressure, as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of rotary (BIOZLSUI'S, as 7, yielding rotary creasers, as14, and means,substantially as described, for flattening the upturned edges of a partially-formed tube, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The turning-plate 15, provided with a V- opening terminating in an eye, as shown and described.

6. The turning-plate 15, provided with aV- opening terminating in an eye having a diagonal extension, substantially as shown and described.

7. Thecombination of rotary 0| easers 7, yielding creasers 14, table 13, adapted,substantially as described, to ad justably support said creasers, tnrning-plate 15, and feed-rolls 20, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination of a base-plate, as 25, a severing blade, as 24, attached thereto and projecting upwardly therefrom, and a springseated clearing device, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination of feed-rolls with delivei log-rolls running ata greater speed than said feed-rolls, an intermediate spring-seated clearing device, a transverse severing device, and a folding blade serving as a deflecting plate 01' guide, as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a paper-bag machine, the combination of feeding-rolls, a spring-seated clearing-plate, a transverse seveiingdevicg, a folding device, and delivering-rolls running at a greater speed than said feed-rolls, arranged in the order named and for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination ot't'eeding-rolls, a springseated guiding-plate, an adjustable transverse severing device, delivering-rolls running at a greater speed than said feeding-rolls, and an adjustably-timed folding device,as and for the purpose set forth.

1;. The combination of feed-rolls, as 20, an intermediate clearing and guiding device, as 26, a severing device, as 24, folding-blades, as 42, with folding and delivering-rolls running at a greater speed than said rolls, as 29, substantially as shown and described.

13. The combination, with V-fold formers and foldingrolls, of two folding-blades adapted, substantially as shown and described,t0 move one at the rear and the other at the front of said V-told formers and into the bite of said rolls, as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In combination with folding-rolls and V- fold formers, oscillating folding-blades, each adapted to move in a path at one side of the V-fold formers and to meet below them at the bite of the rolls, substantially as shown and described.

15. The combination of folding-rolls, V-fold formers, and folding-blades having diagonal side and continuous transverse central-folding edges, substantially as shown and described.

16. The combination of folding-blades 42, crank-shaft 46, links 47, tappet 49, pingear 53, and changeable gear 55 and 56, substantially as shown and described.

EDGAR B. STOCKING.

Witnesses:

E. A. DICK, N. (3. LANE. 

